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Windows Security Center will not turn on and seems to be missing.

Question

My brother in law's laptop had some malware which I have gotten rid of. After I cleaned it up I went to start his Security Center since the Action Center (windows 7) said that Windows Security Center Service is turned off. When I click "turn on now" it
says it cannot be started. I tried doing it manually by going into services and clicking on Security Center, but it isn't there. My laptop is also Win7 and I confirmed that it is normally there but on his it is missing. Is there a way to install it or fix
the problem? Any help or advice would be much appreciated. Thank you.

Still can't start Security Center. Unfortunately I can't re-install windows as he can't find the backup discs that came with the computer.

I've got plenty of protection on it now, hopefully this time around he'll listen when I tell him to update and scan regularly. What are his chances with malware/virus/spyware protection but no security center?

Actually, the officially recommended method is still to format and re-install the compromised computer from a known good build (i.e. operating system CD + all security
patches while disconnected from the network). For more information on hacking, please see these links:

4. You can also contact your antivirus vendor for assistance with identifying or removing virus or worm infections. If you need more help with virus-related issues,
contact Microsoft Product Support Services.

For information about Security updates, visit the Microsoft
Virus Solution and Security Centerfor resources and tools to keep your PC safe and healthy. If you are having issues with installing the update itself, visit
Support for Microsoft Updatefor resources and tools to keep your PC updated with the latest updates.

I hope this helps. Thank you for your time and cooperation!

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Regards,

Sabrina

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I realize this topic is a bit old, but the following solution worked for my Win7 client experiencing this issue after being infected with a fake AV. Essentially the virus/malware blows out the wscsvc registry entry. If you export it
from a working W7 machine and import/merge it to your registry, you should get the Security Center service back upon restart.

Start-->Run...

Type: regedit and hit enter

Navigate to Computer\HKEY_LoCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\wscsvc

If you don't see that key, then you have a similar issue to mine. Just import the wscsvc registry entry as described below.

I realize this topic is a bit old, but the following solution worked for my Win7 client experiencing this issue after being infected with a fake AV. Essentially the virus/malware blows out the wscsvc registry entry. If you export it
from a working W7 machine and import/merge it to your registry, you should get the Security Center service back upon restart.

Start-->Run...

Type: regedit and hit enter

Navigate to Computer\HKEY_LoCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\wscsvc

If you don't see that key, then you have a similar issue to mine. Just import the wscsvc registry entry as described below.

A friend of mine brought his laptop in to work because it was infected with this fake AV and I want to do a clean install for him. Unfortunatly he did not heed my advice when he bought it and has no full copy of windows on CD . There is a key on the
back of the computer. Can I use a disk I own and then use his key or can I download an ISO from microsoft with this key?

Also he did not do backups. Can I transfer his files to a disk or removable drive and then put them back on the machine after reinstallation without risk or is this particular virus (windows 7 recovery) to tough for microsoft security essentials to kill
or block. His machine was running MSE but I doubt that it was up to date and it had real time protection turned off, By the virus I assume.

Awesome. This is the only solution after hours of searching online, that worked. I just took the registry branch from another Windows 7 PC since the link is no longer working, but pretty straight forward. Thanks!

Nizbot i want to thank you very much for the info to rectify my problem with my registry. It was not to late but just in time because if i had not seen your post i would have reformatted and reloaded windows.. this has saved me hours of reloading... thanks
again .

I tried the solution mentioned: I downloaded and imported the registry, but security center item in my Service window still is not there. So I still can't start Windows Security Center (and in turn reinstall Microsoft Security Essential).

I don't know if the fact I have Windows XP instead of Windows 7 makes a difference or not.

I tried the solution mentioned: I downloaded and imported the registry, but security center item in my Service window still is not there. So I still can't start Windows Security Center (and in turn reinstall Microsoft Security Essential).

I don't know if the fact I have Windows XP instead of Windows 7 makes a difference or not.

Yes, Windows XP and Windows 7 are very different. This thread covered a problem reported in Windows 7. The solution you discovered applied the same methodology but used the appropriate registry changes for XP.

I'd caution anyone who might stumble upon this thread now following your post to use extreme discretion at downloading and then importing a .reg file off the internet. Registry changes are potentially catastrophic to your functional OS.
In other words, you are one malformed .reg file import away from potentially having to rebuild your PC. The malware infection is a small example of a registry change with adverse consequences as its change disabled the Windows Security Center.
Think about the possibilities of someone who has provided a .reg file not to fix your PC but to damage it.

Social Engineering is largely at work in malware attacks much like the Windows Security Center compromise at the root of this discussion. Don't be a futher victim and compound the problem. The safest way to import a registry change is to
take the time to find out what that exported registry key should be and create it yourself. Of course its convenient to let someone else do that for you and you just download it. But think about what trust you are extending and don't just
blindly click a download when you can go to another PC and export that key yourself. My 2 cents ...be safe.

I've got the same problem as OP, only I'm running XP rather than Vista (and I can't find a forum thread dealing with the same problem for XP). Doing as Nizbot's suggested, I don't have the wscsvc file in my registry. Is that because that's not suppposed
to be there in XP, or because of the problem, and ifn I can find an XP version of the registry entry I should be home and dry.

I've got the same problem as OP, only I'm running XP rather than Vista (and I can't find a forum thread dealing with the same problem for XP). Doing as Nizbot's suggested, I don't have the wscsvc file in my registry. Is that because that's not suppposed
to be there in XP, or because of the problem, and ifn I can find an XP version of the registry entry I should be home and dry.

Takk.

I've now managed to find another computer with XP and copy the registry entry on, which means Security Center is running, but the firewall and autoupdates aren't working. Does anyone know where I'd find them in the registry?

You do realize how dangerous that advice is? Blindly trusting to download and run something that modifies your registry is not a good practice. Albeit the intent is very good there needs to be a validation process to protect everyone and ensure
that any such offering is not compromised or malicious. This blind clicking behavior may have something to do with how the infection was obtained in the onset. The truer fix involves altering the root user behavior as well as the physical
OS resolution.

Thanks, it worked on W7 x64 (6.1) using the reg entries supplied. I quickly checked content opening with Notepad++ to compare visually with what I could see on other W7 install, and it seemed ok (to avoid risk of infecting from internet download).
Otherwise, I would have had to export them from an other W7 x64 PC. But I agree it is a somewhat hasardous practice (at worse, one must always be ready to restore C: with a reasonably not too old backup (hopefully healthy hence importance of periodic
versions), which is often quicker than to spend time repairing when not immediate as here).

I found out by accident going in control panel / system maintenance and just wondering why I had a red box there.

Judging from forums threads on internet, the problem occurs frequently. Why did these entries disappear on a PC with good AV always working on this machine is a mistery thus it is a security issue to investigate & try to close. A fix from
MS would be welcomed to avoid hasardous downloads.

cf also MS kb 2519899 fixing the startup of the service but not the missing keys issue.

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